Timewaster's Guide Archive
Departments => Books => Topic started by: Nessa on October 06, 2008, 03:47:01 PM
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see it here: http://www.timewastersguide.com/review/1677/Brisingr
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I'm curious if anyone else had differing opinions with my review. Certainly, if an avid fan read the review, I probably made them angry in some regard. But... I was a fan, and the book was not great (to put it lightly).
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I would mostly agree with the review. Some parts of the prose I did actually like, and the immense amounts of words worked for him; I could see what he was writing about. In certain parts of the book he describes things very well. I keep on thinking of the opening scene.
As far as flaws, there are quite a few. I was just thinking about this and realized that pretty much NOTHING bad happens. Eragon just gets more powerful, his allies gain political influence, blah blah blah. Why should I care if he is going to win?
Also some parts of it were so incredibly ridiculous I was thrown out of the book. I mean Roran kills 200 men in a single battle? Come on!!
And I definitely agree about the ending. It felt completely tacked on, like he just needed a good combat scene to finish the book. (which he did.)
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I would mostly agree with the review. Some parts of the prose I did actually like, and the immense amounts of words worked for him; I could see what he was writing about. In certain parts of the book he describes things very well. I keep on thinking of the opening scene.
As far as flaws, there are quite a few. I was just thinking about this and realized that pretty much NOTHING bad happens. Eragon just gets more powerful, his allies gain political influence, blah blah blah. Why should I care if he is going to win?
Also some parts of it were so incredibly ridiculous I was thrown out of the book. I mean Roran kills 200 men in a single battle? Come on!!
And I definitely agree about the ending. It felt completely tacked on, like he just needed a good combat scene to finish the book. (which he did.)
Yeah. Achilles can kill two hundred men, not Roran. Maybe fifty, maximum.
I also thought the end battle for Eragon felt equally tacked on. It was very sudden, like "Hey, Eragon, we just spotted Urgals coming through the tunnels... you might need to do something about it."
Another problem I have with the entire Inheritance Cycle is Galbatorix's laziness. I cannot remotely think of a reason why he should stay cooped up in Uru'baen other than to just give Eragon a chance to grow stronger. That's probably my biggest qualm with the series as a whole, Galbatorix's idiocy. Maybe there is a logical explanation, but I doubt it is that illuminating.
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***SPOILERS***
oh well remember when the Ra'zac at the beginning was like, "the name, he's almost found the name..." Galbatorix is obviously trying to find the true name of the ancient language. Also it has been mentioned to us many times Galbatorix is extremely good at guessing true names.
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Huh. At the time, I just assumed it was Eragon's name. The true name of the ancient language would be a lot more powerful, though...
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That's just what first came to me. It seems like Galbatorix would have to know Eragon personally and intimately before guessing his true name.
Also miyabi and Nessa please still write your reviews!! I know at the very least I would still read it!!
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I'd love to hear other people's opinions on it, too.
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Yeah. Achilles can kill two hundred men, not Roran. Maybe fifty, maximum.
I also thought the end battle for Eragon felt equally tacked on. It was very sudden, like "Hey, Eragon, we just spotted Urgals coming through the tunnels... you might need to do something about it."
Another problem I have with the entire Inheritance Cycle is Galbatorix's laziness. I cannot remotely think of a reason why he should stay cooped up in Uru'baen other than to just give Eragon a chance to grow stronger. That's probably my biggest qualm with the series as a whole, Galbatorix's idiocy. Maybe there is a logical explanation, but I doubt it is that illuminating.
Galbatorix just doesn't care about his people he is confident that he is strong enough to destroy the varden so he waits; although you do make a good point the author is putting it on alittle thick, expecting readers to go along with all the unrealistic parts ( i know its fantisy but i mean still Roran killing 200 men, Eragon meeting the god; and alot of the book is completly unrealated for example he meets a guy in an abandoned elf tower and then hes running back to the varden how is that connected)
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yeah, what Paolini really needs is a good editor.
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I'm a firm believer that three-fourths of Brisingr should have been cut. That way, we'd only have to suffer through one book instead of two.
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I kinda feel like I owe it to the characters to finish the series. Is it really Eragon's fault that when he talks he sounds like a pretentious little kid? Is it his fault that whenever he runs into a "moral dilemma" it takes him about 3 pages to get over it? I owe it to him to finish his story.
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I agree. Almost nothing was accomplished–by either side–in Brisingr. Paolini said he needed to write two more books to finish the series–I really don't get why.
What's with Roran? Did he suddenly inherit mystical fighting powers when he picked up his *special hammer?* I mean gimme a break. He's from like the most remote place on Alagaesia, he probably didn't even know what a sword was until some people started trying to stick him with the pointy ends, and his uncle's a freakin' farmer! Not exactly a heroic ancestor.
Even besides all that–the writing was bad! Words didn't fit, sentences didn't flow, and I was getting really sick of hearing Eragon crap all over about how he didn't know what to do. He's a Dragon Rider; nowhere cares about his inner feelings as long as he kills lots of soldiers and lops off the head of the big, bad wolf (in this case, Galbatorix). I thought the writing was much better in the previous two books. A very disappointing read.
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HEY GUYS I AGREE THAT ITS NOT THE BEST BOOK HES WRITTEN. BUT IF ANY OF YOU CAN DO BETTER WHY DON'T YOU WRITE YOUR OWN BOOK?
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Echigo109, that's a ridiculous statement. Who gets published and who does not is not determined by talent alone. But I'll humour you, and give you one or two of the countless answers to your question.
1. We do not have the time. Most of us are in school, working jobs or otherwise engaged. Christopher Paolini dropped out of high school to write that series.
2. Not all of us possess the drive. You have to really want to publish a book to do so; it is a very large commitment and requires much time and energy. Although many of us would LIKE to have a book published, it is not necessarily a goal or even a realistic thought for all of us.
3. Christopher Paolini and his family published his books; he did not need to search for a publisher. I'm sure many of us would be able to find publishers, but that would require more time, energy and money that isn't necessarily available at the moment.
4. Even if we did write our own book(s), that doesn't mean it would be published. Brandon Sanderson, I believe, wrote (something like) nine different (complete!) novels before Elantris was finally published. Once again, more time, energy and money that many of us do not possess.
5. Many of us have at least one story we are currently in the act of writing. Some of us are actually published authors. So, it is quite likely that, indeed, some of us will be writing (and publishing) our books.
Just one more point. Right now, we are acting as informal 'critics.' We are not professionals, but the fact that we are critiquing Christopher Paolini's work in a sense makes us critics. And the job of critics is simply that–to critique artists' work and offer their opinion on how it was. Many famous critics (possibly even the majority) in the world (of art, food, movies, et cetera) are not necessarily talented performers (I use the word loosely) in the various fields that they critique–the reason they are famous as critics and their opinions are respected and acknowledged is that they (to put it simply) know what it is good, what is bad, what works well, and what doesn't–in short, they have experience in field(s) and know how things should be done. If I have still not convinced you, then here's a quick example: Anyone can tell the difference between beautiful handwriting and illegible handwriting. I certainly can, and I have horrible handwriting. To recognize an accomplishment, you do not have to be capable of such an accomplishment yourself.
I know I said that would be my last point, but I have to say one more thing. You could say that sentence to any critic in the world who gave a negative review about a dish, a piece of art, a movie, et cetera. But…it is the job of critics too share their opinion, and if that opinion is negative, then so be it. You cannot fault people for sharing their opinions.
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You gave that comment way more of a serious and thoughtful response than it deserved. But good job on your part.
One small correction: Brandon wrote 9 novels, not just 9 stories.
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Thanks. :D :D
Modified!
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I think he is a good story writer, but I think he needs to burn his Thesaurus and fire his editor.
I mean honestly, if someones voice "sounded like rustling pines and a gurgling brook" you wouldn't understand a damn thing they said. >>
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I once had a conversation of this nature. I asked about the meaning of life and the response I got was:
"Gurgle gurgle rustle gurgle rustle rustle."
It all seems so simple now...
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I must admit, life is VERY simple when you talk in meaningless sounds.